Generally, controlled climate chambers are used for the incubation of eggs. For example, the eggs are placed in the controlled climate chamber and climatic conditions are matched as well as possible to the optimum growth conditions for the embryos in the eggs. For example, the eggs may be subjected to a temperature progression. Such a temperature progression may start at a particular temperature (e.g., 100° Fahrenheit), which is then lowered because the eggs themselves start to produce heat. Such incubation of the eggs through hatch is generally performed according to an incubation profile that takes into consideration necessary temperature changes, as well as other climatic conditions (e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2) content, humidity, etc.). The incubation process is typically carried out in a particular controlled climate chamber at a single hatchery facility (e.g., the incubation process is tied to a single facility).
As indicated above, generally, in the hatchery, eggs are hatched in a climate controlled chamber. The environment in this chamber is controlled to optimize the hatching process. In this context, temperature, CO2 content, and humidity are some of the control variables controlled during the incubation process. The climate controlled chambers generally include large egg holding structures in which various trays holding eggs are placed. Such eggs during the incubation process may be held in a fixed position (e.g., using pallets of egg trays) or, eggs may be, for example, rotated during a part of the incubation process (e.g., incubator racks configured to hold the eggs such that the eggs can be moved to present the eggs in different positions relative to an air stream provided in the incubator). For example, in an exemplary and conventional incubation process for turkeys or ducks, incubation is completed in incubator racks and pallets for the first 25 days or so of an approximate 28 day incubation cycle. Thereafter, the eggs are transferred to hatch baskets for hatching. The eggs generally hatch approximately around the same time. For about the first day or so following hatch, the newly hatched poults can remain in a hatching chamber, living off the yolk, with little or no additional nutrients being introduced into the climate controlled chamber.
After the poults are hatched in a hatchery, they are generally transported as quickly as possible to a subsequent farm (e.g., for fattening, rearing, breeding, etc.). Such poults may be transported, for example, in an apparatus such as described in International Publication No. WO2005/070198 A1 entitled “Method for holding poikilothermic poultry, and device for holding poikilothermic poultry,” assigned to HatchTech Group B.V., published 4 Aug. 2005, which describes a transportable climate controlled container (e.g., in which the temperature controlled).
In other words, a generally standard or conventional production cycle for poultry is for the poults to be hatched at a hatchery and then transported from the hatchery to a further farm, such as a fattening farm, where the poultry grows and is fattened. Farms of this type are generally many different farms located at a distance from one another. For example, in many cases, such farms may be located a great distance from each other and/or from the hatchery.
Sex separate rearing is also an important component in the raising of poultry (e.g., turkey production). In other words, poults of a single sex are reared separate from those of the other sex. Typically, depending on production, processing/marketing requirements, and cost relationships, separate sex rearing can be of great economic benefit to poultry producers (e.g., one gender is raised much differently than another to optimize the production process). Yet further, in many circumstances, farms that raise one sex of poultry are generally located a substantial distance from farms that raise the other sex and/or may also be located a substantial distance from a hatchery.